Sun and Rain
by The Lovely Cynic
Summary: Mail Jeevas and Mihael Keehl. Their lives are akin to a Shakespearean tragedy. They are short, filled with desperate grasps for love and end in untimely death.
1. Act 1, Scene 1

**Sun and Rain  
Act 1, Scene 1: Sunshine**

**A/N: **I'm so excited about this. XD I've been wanting to do something with Matt and Mello with Shakespearean elements for awhile. Ahh, the second chapter should be on its way... in a bit. It's in the making!

And thanks to the lovely **anja-chan** for being my beta!! I really do appreciate it... a lot. :D

--

"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun…." Mello was mumbling to himself around a chocolate bar that hung precariously between his lips. He was pacing back and forth through the cluttered dorm room, stepping over various objects as if he had the room memorized. He was thumbing through a paperback copy of William Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_, sucking absently on the already quickly melting chocolate, eyes scanning over the lines. "Her vestal livery is but sick and green…." He paused suddenly, feet ceasing their incessant pacing. He frowned, tongue rolling over the diminishing chocolate bar.

He snapped the book shut, taking the bar out of his mouth and swallowing whatever chocolaty remnants left in his mouth. "Hey, Matt!" the blond called over to the other side of the room, placing the book, still open, onto his bedside table. "Do you have any idea what 'vestal livery' means?"

Red hair poked up from under an older looking comforter on the other bed. The previous sounds of game music were hushed as Matt paused it. "Vestal livery?" He started laughing, looking vaguely thoughtful for a moment. "Isn't that like… a virgin's uniform?" He raised an eyebrow, staring peculiarly at Mello. His eyes were narrowed and his lip curled slightly in the corner, as if confused. "Why the hell are you reading Shakespeare, anyways?"

"I'm auditioning for Romeo and Juliet. Wammy's theater group is doing it this summer and I thought it would be kind of cool to be in it. Plus, you know, there's the extra credit." He smirked, licking excess chocolate smudges off of his lips.

"Extra credit, right…." Matt rolled his eyes, laying his head back down on his pillow. His thumb hovered over the 'start' button on his controller. "Why are you reading _that_ monologue, though? It's so fucking cliché. Can't you do something more original?" He glanced back at Mello, restarting his game a moment later.

"I'm auditioning for Romeo and Juliet and I figured that I might as well read something from the actual play, right?" He shrugged slightly, picking up the book again and flipping through it. "And I figured that if I can do this oh-so clichéd monologue better than everyone else, they'll cast me." He grinned widely. "There's always Mercutio's 'Queen Mab' speech, but I think that's a little too weird, even for me. At least Romeo's actually makes sense."

Matt snickered quietly, becoming slightly distracted due to his game. His fingers moved along the buttons with practiced ease, his concentration on Mello waning. "Mel, I think you'd have better luck pulling off the 'Queen Mab' speech." The redhead snickered to himself, attention turning fully towards his quickly intensifying game. He was nearly done with one of the biggest boss fights. One more hit would have done it, when—

"Ow, fuck!"

A spoon landed directly on his forehead. Hard.

"Shut the fuck up, Matt!" Mello huffed, sending a glare that clearly spelt "D-E-A-T-H"Matt's way. "Asshole. I'm doing Romeo's Act II monologue," he grumbled, starting to read over the speech again. "Unless…." He paused, a grin starting to pull at his lips as he stared at the redhead. "Well, you know, there's always _Hamlet_…."

Matt was rubbing his forehead, a look of slight confusion mixed with annoyance on his face. He would have to do that whole level over again because of that damn spoon. "What the hell are you talking about?" He was about to pick up his discarded Gameboy, when, once again, Mello caught his attention from the corner of his eye.

The blond struck the worst Shakespearean pose Matt had ever seen. His right hand was high above his head, palm up with his fingers curled in just enough so that the gamer could _see _Horatio's skull there.His left hand was crossed over his heart and he had the cheesiest forlorn expression plastered on his face. "To be or not to be—that is the question:—whether 'tis nobler—" He was cut short as Matt threw his Gameboy at the chocoholic's head with a groan of utmost _pain_. This caused Mello to duck in front of his bed, the hand held game system soaring across the room and shattering against the wall.

"No more Shakespearean clichés, Mello, please!" Matt pressed the heels of his hands into his ears, shaking his head.

Mello was snickering behind his hands, which he had clamped over his mouth. He stayed like that for a few moments before he stared at the redhead on the couch, who still had his ears covered and eyes squeezed shut. His nose was crinkled up in a way that made him seem almost childish. The blond stood up and walked over the couch, smirking slightly. "Matt." Mello kicked the couch.

One green eye opened slowly, looking carefully into bright blue. "…Yes?" he grunted, clearing his throat and sitting up, facial features smoothing over once again.

"I'm auditioning tomorrow. You'll be there, right?" The blond narrowed his eyes. He pressed his lips together, a nervous habit that softened the harsh way he had just spoken. He placed the book face down on the top of couch, sitting on the armrest. "I don't care if you don't like Shakespeare. This is my first audition for anything, so you, being my best friend, have to be there."

Matt whined quietly, his nose wrinkling and hiding the freckles that were spattered over the bridge of his nose. "It's not that I don't _like _Shakespeare, Mello. I just don't want to spend a shit load of time watching kids do lackluster impressions of… Leonardo Dicaprio's Romeo." He pulled the comforter over his head.

Mello crossed his arms over his chest, leaning over the lump in the blanket that was Matt. Strands of golden blond hair fell over dangerously glowing eyes. Shards of sunlight that fought their way through the tree branches and window played over Mello's eyes, making them seem even brighter. "If you don't go, you aren't my friend anymore."

"What?" Matt squawked, throwing the tattered quilt offand staring incredulously at Mello. "Are you kidding me? That's not fair!"

"I don't care!" Mello snapped, "Friends are supposed to be there for their friends, Matt. And since you're supposed to be my _best _friend, you have to be there even more." He stuck his tongue out, making him seem very immature for a split second.

Matt was feeling slightly peeved that Mello had played the Best Friend card. Was it really such a big deal that he didn't want to watch a bunch of children recite the same Shakespearean soliloquies for endless hours? The redhead ran a hand down his face, thoughts churning in his head. If he didn't go, Mello would be angry with him until the play was over, more than likely. If he _did _go, he would suffer for a few hours, yes, but then he wouldn't have to deal with Mello ignoring him the whole summer.

Oh, holy hell. What a decision.

"Fine. Mello, you win." Matt grudgingly admitted defeat to the blond. A sour expression crossed over the gamer's face, feeling just slightly irked at his friend.

Mello looked smug. "I bet you can't wait." He mocked the redhead, pressing his hand to Matt's head and shoving him back on the bed. "Mine's going to be the best." The blond was very confident, wasn't he? "You know why?"

"Why?" Matt drawled, not even bothering to feign interest. He was busy bemoaning his fate of having to endure various bad Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes impressions. Ever since that damn movie had come out, everyone forgot everything good about the original play and focused on fucking Leonardo Dicaprio. Whatever happened to Friar Laurence? Almost all his lines got cut in that movie….

"Because Near can't act his way out of a wet cardboard box, that's why." Matt was suddenly jerked out of his inner musings by Mello's slightly maniacal, and just a tad creepy, grin. The blond picked up his discarded chocolate bar and took a vicious bite out of it, the snap seeming to resonate off the walls.

The redhead stared at his friend like he was crazy. A long, heavy sigh escaped his lungs. He pinched the bridge of his nose, mumbling about petty rivalries under his breath. "Whatever, Mello. I'll be there."

--

Matt still couldn't believe he had agreed to come. He was now sitting in one of the red velvet seats in Wammy's small theater. There were only about two hundred seats, with an almost undersized raised stage at the front. The redhead sat right in the middle of the fourth row, the actors in the first three. He had a scowl on his face, glaring daggers into the back of Mello's head. It was his fault the gamer was here in the first place.

It was also his fault that his Gameboy was currently unusable and in several small pieces.

Matt sunk further into the seat, crossing his arms over his chest. He glared at that accursed stage. If only Shakespeare had written books instead of plays. Then he wouldn't have to deal with Mello trying to best Near at yet another activity. It seemed that everything was a competition between those two and it was really grating on the redhead's nerves. He was caught right in the middle, siding with neither Mello nor Near. Yes, he listened to Mello's ranting and raving about the white-haired boy, but he never personally got involved. It would have caused far too much unnecessary drama between them all.

"Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?" A young girl was the first to audition. Matt knew her, but had long since shut off the thinking part of his brain and her name never arose in his mind. Her tone was mechanical and flat. It was an overall boring performance of a very long monologue. Mr. Wammy, who sat in front row center of the auditorium, applauded her. He thanked her shortly and she gave a brief curtsy before skipping off stage.

About ten auditions in, Matt was ready to start banging his head against the seat in front of him for the smallest bit of entertainment. Several of Juliet's monologues popped up here and there, along with Romeo's Act II monologue. One person even did one of Antony's monologues from Antony and Cleopatra. ("All is lost! This foul Egyptian hath betrayed me.") This greatly surprised Matt, and he hoped to God that boy got cast. At least he was creative.

After yet another Queen Mab speech, the redhead was ready to leave. He was about to stand up when he heard Mr. Wammy call Mello's name. It was about bloody time! Matt rubbed his eyes, wiping away the slight disorientation from not paying attention for so long. He actually wanted to hear what the blond had to offer in the acting department. He walked onto the stage with an almost arrogant air of confidence. It made Matt wonder if he was even the slightest bit nervous.

"Hi. I'm Mello, I'm thirteen and I will be reading for the part of Romeo."

So, he was actually auditioning for Romeo, then? Matt scrunched his brow together, feeling almost anxious to watch Mello perform. He saw the blond take a deep breath, eyes closing momentarily before snapping open, obviously in character.

"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?" he began beautifully. He wasn't too over the top or over rehearsed or robotic. His pace was smooth and brisk, his facial expressions changing with lines and drawing Matt in. "I am too bold; 'tis not to me she speaks." He paused there. Nobody in the theater made a sound. The redhead was holding his breath. Had Mello forgotten his lines? "Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven…" this part was said slowly, with such emotion that Matt didn't think Mello could show flickering over his face.

The monologue continued with such thought-out dramatic pick-ups and slow-downs that Matt was left wide-eyed and gaping. By the time the blond reached the ending line, the gamer was already applauding.He didn't know Mello could act so well. Perhaps that was a necessary skill needed as a detective? No wonder Matt was third.

"Thank you." Mello bowed, blond hair whipping over his head before flipping back as he stood back up and walked off stage. Matt could see Mr. Wammy scribbling into a notebook quickly. The chocoholic sat back down in his seat and all the redhead could do was stare. He hardly paid attention to the next five performances. He was still mulling over Mello's.

"Everyone?" Mr. Wammy walked up the short flight of stairs to the stage, standing in front of the young actors. This snapped Matt out of his daze. He looked up towards the aging man. He gave off an air of quiet, gentle authority as he stood, waiting for the children's attention. "I would like to thank you all for coming out to audition. You all did a wonderful job." Matt nearly scoffed at that comment, but decided to be polite. "The cast list will be posted tomorrow as I discuss the roles with the acting coach."

He paused, a small smile passing over his whiskered lips, "I wish you all the best of luck."


	2. Act 1, Scene 2

**Sun and Rain**  
**Act 1, Scene 2**

**A/N: **This is one of the longest things I've written in awhile. XD I know that's a little sad... but I don't care. I'm proud.

And once again, I'd like to thank my beta, **anja-chan**! She is definitely responsible for the quality of this fic. Seriously.

--

"Mello, would you calm down already? You still have an entire night to wait for the bloody cast list." Matt sighed, glancing over at his blond friend. Mello was pacing back and forth in front of his own bed, a hard look of concentration screwed onto his face. He bit at his nails, paying the redhead no attention, as he seemed to drown in his own thoughts.

"Hey! Earth to Mello!" Matt scowled, waving a hand in the air in an attempt to catch the blond's focus. After a moment or two of no response, the gamer rolled his eyes and went back to picking apart the pieces of his broken Gameboy. "Whatever," he said under his breath. He couldn't help but feel somewhat upset.

"Matt." Mello stopped suddenly. He stared at Matt with an expression the redhead rarely ever saw. Blond eyebrows were lowered; eyes downcast, causing blue orbs to hide in shadow. A hand reached up to tuck a lock of gold blond hair behind a small, pink-tipped ear. The look made Mello look almost _sheepish, _which never happened. It was a sight that took Matt slightly aback. "You thought I did alright, didn't you?"

Mello was certainly acting odd. He was behaving like an insecure child. Sure, the kid had an inferiority complex the size of Russia and Canada combined**, **but he never showed it in such an outright, obvious way.

"Of course I thought you did alright, Mello." Matt flashed the older blond a crooked half-smile. "I thought you were great. Besides, Near didn't even try out, so you don't have to worry about beating him." His smile grew into a wide grin.

"Yeah." Mello smirked, reverting back to his regular self at the mention of Near. "I've already won, haven't I?" He sat down on his bed, the mattress squeaking in protest as he did. He grabbed his pillow and dug around inside the pillowcase for a short moment before pulling out a half-broken chocolate bar. He unwrapped it, taking a large bite with a satisfying snap.

"Anyways. I doubt I'm going to get the lead. Probably something close, though." He put his pillow back into place, lying down on his bed afterwards. He stared at the ceiling, licking at his chocolate bar absently. "Maybe Mercutio or Benvolio. Tybalt would be nice, too..."

"You would make an absolutely perfect Tybalt, Mello." Matt laughed quietly, using a pair of tweezers and bits of electrical tape to put his Gameboy back together. "Now, go to sleep. We'll find out tomorrow. There's no use in fretting about it now, it'll only keep you awake tonight and your brain won't function as well tomorrow." He yawned and stretched luxuriously, picking up the broken handheld's pieces and placing them one-by-one on his bedside table.

The blond's eyes widened slightly and his tongue stopped in mid-lick. "Damn it. You're right. If I stay awake too late, I might even come in below _you_ in the ranks." He placed the partially eaten treat in the drawer of his own bedside table.

"Good night, Mello," the redhead said flatly, flicking his lamp off. He snuggled deep into the blankets strewn haphazardly across the bed. His toes peeked out from underneath the worn comforter, causing him to curl them in slightly. And as Matt lay there in the thick summer darkness, feeling rather comfortable and content, he couldn't help but wonder as well...

What _would _Mello's part be?

--

"Matt. Wake up." Mello tried to nudge the redhead awake. The gamer groaned and nuzzled deeper into the tangled mess of bedding. He grumbled something about it being 'way too early', even if he hadn't so much as glanced at the clock that morning. The blond rolled his eyes and grabbed onto the hem of Matt's quilt, tugging it off of the bed and throwing it to the back of the room.

The redhead gasped as the cold air hit his body, goose bumps dancing up along the surface of his skin. "Mello? What the hell?" he looked dazed, confused, his voice hoarse and gravelly. He shivered and scrambled around for something to cover himself.

"The cast list goes up today, idiot!" Mello snapped, eyes narrowing dangerously. "As soon as Mr. Wammy puts it up, I'm going to be there. I don't want to wait to know what part I got." He huffed, going off to change out of his pair of gray sweatpants and black t-shirt.

Matt stared blearily after the blond, who had grabbed a pair of loose fitting black pants and a dark, long-sleeved shirt on his way out. Mello really didn't like waiting for anything.

The gamer whined and, upon not finding anything that would even remotely count for any sort of warmth, dragged himself out of bed. He hung over the edge, heels of his hands pressed into his eyes. He didn't care what time it actually was. It _felt _way too early. He yawned and ran his hands down his face, glancing over at the clock once he could see clearly.

Six in the morning.

"Are you kidding me?" He moaned, flopping back on the bed. Six... AM? Matt couldn't even remember seeing that hour since... since...

He didn't think he had _ever _seen six AM.

His eyelids felt heavy and, though the morning was unbearably cold, the comfort of his pillow was far too inviting. If he lay down like he was for another thirty seconds, he would probably fall asleep again. If Mello came back and saw the redhead, he would probably throw some sort of angry fit. Matt didn't exactly like the idea of the blond throwing a tantrum at six o'clock, so he reached up and literally held his eyes open.

Once he found the strength and will to actually sit up again, he walked over to a small, shared closet and dug around in it for clothing. His limbs were like lead hanging out of his sockets, weighing him down.

Upon finding something suitable to wear in summer weather, he pulled it on and finger-combed his ridiculously messy bed head. Shivering at the cold morning, the redhead grabbed a discarded sweater. He couldn't tell if it was his or Mello's, but at that point he could care less. His eyelids were starting to droop dangerously. He had to get out of the room before he collapsed onto a beckoning bed. Oh, Mello's bed was just _calling _to him, with its warm, thick quilt and fluffy, goose-down pillows….

"_Matt, come lay down. You know you want to."_

The redhead was nearly drooling as his tired eyes stared down that bed. "But, Mello's Bed, Mello will get mad…" he whined, finding the delicious curve of the dark stained headboard far more attractive than he had in the past. Every crease in the bedding seemed to call him over with a siren-like allure that Matt could hardly resist.

"_Please, Matt. Just five minutes."_

Mello's Bed was begging now, its silky voice echoing in the gamer's head. A dopey smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. His feet seemed to have a mind of their own as they carried him over to the bed. He brushed his fingers over the smooth, soft sheets, eyes half-lidded and glazed over. "Well, if you insist—"

Wait.

Mello's bed… was talking to him?

Matt's eyes snapped open suddenly and he quickly scrambled back to the door. Six in the morning was definitely not good for him. He was starting to hallucinate.

Trudging out of the carpeted dorm room and onto the hardwood floor of the hallway in bare feet caused Matt to shiver. Of course the floors were cold. The redhead narrowed his eyes at the offending floors and kept walking quietly down the hallways. He felt annoyance pricking at the back of his mind. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, perhaps it was that he had just rejected with a nice, warm bed or perhaps it was because he was trying to tiptoe across a freezing cold floor.

"Matt?" He heard a voice hiss behind him, making him jumping slightly. "Where the hell are you going?"

"To the cafeteria," Matt mumbled, knowing it was Mello behind him without even turning around. The harsh, commanding tone, without even a hint of morning grogginess, was no stranger to the redhead's ears. "Maybe the cook will give me an early breakfast if I'm nice to her. That might just save this morning." The gamer started walking again, leaving his blond companion behind. He had absolutely no desire to talk to Mello at that point. He was already tired and cranky from being woken up so early.

He could hear Mello's socked feet shuffling behind him. "I might as well come, too." The blond shrugged, jogging up beside Matt and walking beside him, instead. "Mr. Wammy probably won't be awake until about seven thirty and I have nothing _better _to do." He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black pants, looking up at the ceiling, the hint of a smile on his lips.

"Why the hell did you wake me up, then?" Matt groaned, scrunching his nose up and gritting his teeth like he had just caught air of Mello after a long game of soccer in the summer sun.

The blond rolled his eyes, looking exasperated. Matt felt like he was being suddenly _judged_ because he _dared _to question his logic. "Because you wouldn't get up until noon if I didn't and you would miss the cast list being put up. Besides, I always get up at six and I kind of wanted some company before Mr. Wammy actually wakes up."

"You realize that I hate you right now, right?" Matt grunted, looking over at the chocoholic and narrowing his eyes. Oh, the injustice. As much as Mello wanted to be L, he certainly had a warped sense of the fairness that came with the job. The redhead needed sleep, more carpeting in Wammy's house and for Mello to have a normal sleep cycle.

The blond's smile grew into a wicked smirk. "Yep." And he continued walking.

--

It turned out that even the cafeteria didn't open until seven o'clock.

Knowing this, Matt sat outside the cafeteria with a grinning Mello for another forty-five minutes or so, fuming silently. He could tell from that grin that the blond had known all along that the cafeteria wouldn't open until then.

Nobody else was awake. His Gameboy was broken. It was early. And it was _all Mello's fault._ This made the redhead even more irritable than he had been before. The early morning made his temper rise far above the normal level it was at. It boiled over, flames licking out from his normally calm demeanor. If somebody tried to bother him, or even _talk _to him, the flames would shoot out and flare up in the form of petulant insults and comebacks.

Matt didn't _do _mornings. Ever.

When the cook came to unlock the doors, Matt stormed in with hate written all over his face. He got into line with only a couple other early risers, including Near and several other children he recognized from the auditions the previous day. Their names, or rather**,** aliases, escaped him due to his state of grogginess. The 'artists' in Wammy's usually never caught the redhead's attention. They were on the opposite end of the learning spectrum at the orphanage.

He was the first in line with Mello behind him. His tray was clasped firmly in his hands, as if he were afraid somebody—namely the blond behind him—would snatch it away and drag him off to stalk a newly awakened Mr. Wammy.

As soon as he got his food, he nearly ran to a table and started stuffing his face. Syrup from the pancakes started sticking to his lips and fingers, but he didn't care one bit. He needed to eat so that his morning wasn't a complete waste.

"Matt, we have to go soon. Eat faster." Mello plopped down beside the redhead and started to try and stuff a whole pancake into his own mouth.

"No," Matt hissed through gritted teeth. "You woke me up early. I am going to sit here and enjoy my breakfast. You can wait." He began eating at his own leisurely pace, if only to spite Mello. He took occasional sips of orange juice, glaring determinedly at his tray. There was no way Mello was going to drag him away from his nice meal just to go check the damn cast list. No fucking way.

Mello suddenly snarled and punched Matt's arm _hard_. Bits of syrup residue, pancake and orange juice pulp went flying from the gamer's mouth as a rather loud yelp escaped him.

"Matt! I only got up this early to check the fucking cast list! And I got you up because you have to go with me! I'm not going to have this morning go to waste just so you can eat your fucking pancakes. Best friend, remember? You have to go with me. It's required."

The redhead was tempted to ask from where this requirement came from, but didn't feel like getting another punch in the arm. The last one hurt enough and they had _already _attracted enough attention from the other kids in the cafeteria, because of Mello's previous shouting. He didn't feel like getting odd stares from the children in there for the rest of the day. He _also _did not want the extra attention from the cook, who would possibly write a referral to Roger.

With a tiny grumble and a quick rubbing of his arm, he went back to eating. He ate quicker than before, shoving pieces of syrupy baked good into his mouth and swallowing them basically whole.

Matt squeaked as he was suddenly jerked from his seat. "I bet he's up by now. Let's go tothe theatre." Mello was nearly bouncing in his place in anticipation. It was an odd sight to see. Although the blond kept his normally stoic mask on, Matt could see the anxiety dancing in those blue eyes.

Perhaps it was because Mello was _never _anxious or nervous, but the gamer actually thought he looked _cute _standing there, staring longingly at the door.

The redhead cracked a grin and nodded. He stood up a little straighter and started walking towards the cafeteria doors, Mello hurrying on ahead.

--

Although Mello and Matt were the first ones to the theater waiting for Mr. Wammy, the man didn't actually arrive until about a half hour after they got there. This made the redhead forget about the blond's 'cute anxiety' and return to being angry with him. He felt like he had had his time stolen from him, his precious time that was reserved especially for _pancakes _this morning. His skin started to feel prickly, like porcupine quills set aside for staving off certain blond predators.

Time predators. Heh. Sounded like Mello. He _did _like to eat up a lot of Matt's time.

"As soon as Mr. Wammy gets here and you check your part, I'm leaving," the redhead grunted, scowling over at Mello.

"Yeah? To where?" the blond sneered. "Nothing around here opens until nine. You have nothing better to do except wait with me." He looked smug, but his fists were clenching and unclenching around the sleeves of his shirt. He was still as uneasy as ever. The redhead didn't say anything because Mello would _never _admit to being nervous about his part in a play.

Matt brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "Shut up. I just don't want to watch you freak out over your part. If you get a good part, you'll gloat until the bloody cows come home. If you get a bad part, you'll whine and complain about how you deserved a fucking lead. I don't care, alright?" he sighed, resting his forehead against his knees and trying not to fall asleep. Eight o'clock was still too early.

"Fuck you, Matt," Mello snorted, smacking the gamer over the head. "That's complete rubbish. I do _not _whine and complain. Children do that. I'm thirteen, I'm technically a teenager." Ironically enough, that made the blond seem even more childish.

The redhead simply rolled his eyes and sat there, waiting for Mr. Wammy. If he had said anything, he would end up with a sore head and possibly several other body parts. Mello never liked being told he was wrong. If someone had the guts, or possibly lack of intelligence, to challenge the blond's logic, things usually got very, very ugly.

Mello stood suddenly, surprising Matt. The gamer lifted his head, looking around the hallway. Glancing upwards, he caught a glimpse of an aging man with a large, bushy mustache and square spectacles.

"Hello, Mello, Matt." The elderly man nodded at both children, a large group of kids forming behind him. In his weathered hands was a piece of paper. Mello's eyes lowered and fixated themselves on that little piece of paper, widening slightly. "I believe you are here to check the cast list, Mello?" Mr. Wammy chuckled lightly, walking to the theater's double doors, placing a thumbtack between his lips. He pressed the paper against the door, tacking it to the wood.

As soon as the man left, the children crowded around the door, chattering excitedly amongst themselves. Mello was, of course, right at the front, reading up and down the cast list.

"Juliet! I'm Juliet!" a girl with light brown pigtails squealed, breaking away from the crowd and bouncing up and down. So, Linda was Juliet. Matt stared over the crowd of multi-coloured heads, looking to see if Mello saw his name. Weirdly enough, the blond was just _standing there_ and not doing anything.

The redhead frowned, pushing through the mob of young would-be actors and standing beside his friend. "Mello? What are you doing?" he sighed, looking up at the cast list himself. He quickly scanned the list, Mello's name catching his eye somewhere at the top. He looked over to its corresponding part and—

No way.

No fucking _way_.

"Romeo? You're goddamn bloody well _Romeo_?" Matt was gaping. His jaw went slack as he stared at his frozen friend. The blond's body was rigid, his hands balled into fists. He nodded mutely, eyes still fixated on the paper and his part. He looked scared. No, not just scared. Mello looked absolutely _terrified_. "Holy shit, Mel." The gamer shook his head slowly, raking a hand through his hair.

The chocoholic suddenly moved, taking large strides and leaving Matt to take a double take of where he had been. The redhead moved quickly, basically jogging after his friend. Mello was still walking stiffly, but swiftly, down the hallways and up several flights of stairs, walking up two stairs at a time. He came to floor where their dorm was situated, leaving a panting Matt behind him. Once at their room, the blond threw open the door and the gamer was barely able to slip in before Mello slammed it shut.

"Mello? Are you okay?" Matt asked carefully, taking a cautious step forward.

A sigh that came from the blond echoed through the room. There was a long, thick silence that followed. Mello was standing his ground and Matt didn't dare move. "Okay?" The chocoholic's voice was trembling, though the redhead couldn't tell from what exactly. "Am I _okay_?" The blond whipped around suddenly, a wide, absolutely ridiculous grin plastered on his face. "Matt! I'm Romeo! How could I _not _be okay? I got the lead!" Mello started bouncing up and down, running over to the gamer and squeezing him in a tight hug.

Matt was shocked to say the least. His arms went rigid at his sides, not used to Mello being so… affectionate "Uh…" he started to say something, but stopped, not quite sure how to react. "Yeah. That's… great, Mello." The redhead laughed awkwardly, reaching one arm up and patting his blond friend on the shoulder.

"I beat all of those other guys." Mello pushed Matt back to an arm's length, still smiling softly. "This is great, Matty!" He laughed lightly, pushing a piece of blond hair behind his ear. This was making the redhead feel so uncomfortable. Mello was acting so strange and that nickname just made things worse.

"Sure." Matt nodded slightly, shrugging slightly. "Um… no offense, Mello, but… you don't exactly seem like the romantic type, you know?" He raised an eyebrow, biting his bottom lip.

The blond simply rolled his eyes, patting Matt on the head like some sort of dog, or a small child. "That's why it's called _acting_, you twit." He smirked, ruffling the gamer's hair. "You realize you're going to have to help me rehearse, though, right? And you're going to have to be Juliet most of the time?"

Matt stared incredulously at Mello. "Oh, come on!" he whined, running a hand down his face. "That's not fair! I'm not a fucking chick, why don't you just practice with Linda?"

"Because I've known you for longer and you're my _best friend_ and that's what _best friends_ do." The blond took a step away from Matt, going over to his bed and laying down. He closed his eyes and laced his finger behind his head, looking rather smug. "Maybe we'll even dress you up in the costume to get me more into the part…" he mused, smirking deviously.

Oh, this was going to be an interesting summer indeed.

--

**A/N: **Love? Hate? Curious to see Matt in a dress or Mello in tights? Any comments are appreciated!


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